MGA Report Details €162,520 in Penalties and 19 New Licenses in 2025
MGA Issues €162,520 in Penalties and Grants 19 New Licenses in 2025 – Annual Report Details Enforcement, AML Oversight, and Player Protection Activity
Key Takeaways
- The Malta Gaming Authority issued 30 administrative penalties totaling €162,520 in 2025.
- 19 new gaming licenses were issued, while one license was suspended and two were canceled.
- The regulator conducted 15 full compliance audits and 109 thematic reviews across compliance, player protection, and betting integrity.
- 280 suspicious betting reports were received, and 192 alerts were shared with licensees after risk-based filtering.
- AML and CFT oversight included 21 compliance examinations and nearly €26,500 in penalties imposed by the FIAU.
Administrative Penalties and License Decisions in 2025
The Malta Gaming Authority, in its Annual Report and audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, detailed a broad range of enforcement measures across the land-based and online gaming sectors.
During the year, the Authority issued 30 administrative penalties totaling €162,520. In addition, it sent 35 cease and desist letters and 22 formal warnings to licensees. One gaming license was suspended and two were canceled. One appeal was lodged during the year and remains pending, while eight appeals from previous years were withdrawn.
On the authorization side, the Authority received 38 applications for new gaming licenses and issued 19 licenses in 2025. The Council approved 17 new gaming license applications and rejected two following the Minded Letter process after determining that submitted information was false, misleading, inaccurate, or materially incomplete.
Ten renewal applications were received from operators whose licenses were due to expire. Eight license renewals were issued. The report also states that 1,266 due diligence screening checks were carried out on authorized persons, qualifying shareholders, directors, key individuals, and funding providers. More complex cases were escalated to the Fit and Proper Committee, which assessed 20 entities and 38 individuals. In seven cases, the Committee concluded that the fit and proper criteria were not satisfied.
For operators and users evaluating Malta licensed platforms, these figures outline the volume of licensing activity and the level of scrutiny applied during the authorization process.
Compliance Audits, Player Protection, and Betting Integrity
Supervisory activity in 2025 included 15 full scope compliance audits and 109 thematic reviews. These reviews covered regulatory compliance, player protection obligations, and sports betting integrity.
The Authority resolved 3,718 requests for assistance, including cases carried over from 2024. It also received 1,757 player funds reports and conducted 14 data extractions to support the safeguarding of player funds.
Integrity monitoring formed a significant part of the regulator’s work. Between January and December 2025, licensees submitted 280 suspicious betting reports. After enhanced risk-based filtering, the Authority shared 192 suspicious betting alerts with licensees. It participated in 66 investigations globally and handled 56 requests for information in cooperation with enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, integrity units, and other regulators. A further 85 data exchanges were conducted.
The Authority also received 66 requests for international collaboration from other regulators and sent 12 such requests. Most incoming requests were linked to generic cooperation or background checks during authorization processes. In addition, 58 official replies were issued on the regulatory good standing of licensed operators, and 200 information requests were handled in collaboration with local authorities and governing bodies.
These figures show the extent of cross border cooperation and integrity monitoring within the Maltese licensing framework.
AML and CFT Oversight and Enforcement Measures
Anti money laundering and counter financing of terrorism supervision was carried out in cooperation with the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit.
A total of 21 compliance examinations were initiated either by the FIAU or by the Authority on its behalf, and 21 examinations were concluded during the year. Thirty closure letters were issued to licensees to formally conclude examinations or remediation processes where findings were not considered serious or systemic.
Two potential breach letters were sent to licensees to notify them of possible AML or CFT non compliance requiring further clarification or remediation before confirmation as breaches.
The FIAU imposed remediation measures and or administrative penalties amounting to just under €26,500. In addition, the Authority conducted 29 interviews with prospective Money Laundering Reporting Officers to assess their knowledge of the Maltese AML and CFT legal framework.
For users of Malta licensed platforms, AML oversight directly relates to how operators monitor transactions, verify customer identity, and manage reporting obligations.
Monitoring of Unauthorized Activity and Commercial Communications
The Authority reviewed 109 URLs in 2025 to identify unauthorized online gaming activity. Of these, 42 were found to contain fraudulent references to the Authority or its licensees and were added to a publicly available list.
The Commercial Communications Committee made six decisions regarding possible breaches of the Gaming Commercial Communications Regulations.
Beyond online supervision, the Authority conducted 7,903 inspections across Gaming Premises, including casinos, commercial bingo halls, controlled gaming premises, national lottery outlets, and non profit tombola activities. For low risk gaming activities, 2,043 permits were issued for non profit tombola, 22 permits for non profit lottery, and 118 certificates for commercial communication games.
Our Assessment
The 2025 annual report outlines a regulatory framework characterized by active enforcement, structured licensing processes, and ongoing AML and integrity oversight. With 19 new licenses issued, multiple audits conducted, and administrative penalties totaling €162,520, the Authority maintained supervisory activity across both online and land based sectors. The combination of due diligence checks, suspicious betting monitoring, AML examinations, and cooperation with international regulators defines the operational environment for operators licensed in Malta and for users engaging with those platforms.
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